The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1887-06-03


when he heard, as in dream, the
voice of the old Pole crying in his
ear: ''For two days | have never
lett the table; seventeen has never
been drawn once; III wager my
hand that it comes out tonight on
the stroke of twelve ~
Then this youth, scarcely twenty
years of age, descended from long
line of military ancestors, and bear.
ing name that had never vet
been dishonored, was seized with a
shameful thought. looking about
him to assure himself that no QUE
saw him, he kGelt before the sleep.
ing child, advanced bis hand and
grasping the golden Louis, ran as
fast as bis feet could carry him back
to the gaming hall.
He was just in time; the clock
was on the first stroke of twelve as
he threw open the door.
"Full upon seventeen ~ he cried,
tossing the Louis upon the green
cloth. Seventeen won. With
backward sweep of the hand he
pushed the thirty six Louis gained
upon the red, and red won. Again
he returned his winnings to the
same color; again it won. He
doubled the stakes; he doubled
them twice, three times and always
with the same result. A little
mountain of gold aud bank bills
steadily rose before him, and still
be played on, the combinations all
in bis favor, and always winning.
1t was unheard of, supernatural
luck, and they began to say that
The little ball of ivory hopping
about in the roulette cases WAS
magnetized by the eye of the gam.
bier aud forced to obey bis will.
A dozen times, ut ii stroke, he
had recovered the thousand francs
which he had lost IN the beginning
of the evening, aud was now rlay.
ing golden Louis dfOrs, hundreds
at "a stake. If his luck held, he
would recover not only his heredi-
tary patrimOny Squandered by him
in the past few years, but ii fortune
with If.
In his haste to begin the game,
d'Aumel had not taken time to
throw of his overcoat, aud already
his pockets, inside and out, Swelled
with bank notes and rolls OF gold.
His Observation-Disclosures full, his vest
pockets were crammed, his bat
could hold no more. and even bis
cigar case had been pressed into
but still he played on and
still be won. But he played at ran.
dom, neither caring or seeing where
the money tell. His thoughts had
gone back TO that little beggar
child sleeping and freezing in the
child wh0m he had rob
bed. She was in the same place of
course. Alter while when the |
;lock struck one he would go to her.
Il will take her in my arms,' he
said to himself. / will carry her to |
ny home. | Mill educate her, love /
Ter, dOte upon her, and bring her
~ as my own child. Iswear it.
will i0ve her always |"
But the clock struck one, then
he quarter, then the half an three.
quarters, and he was still at the la
lie.
At last, just a minute before the
lock struck two, the banker sud
lenly rose from his chair and cried
'Messieurs, the bank is broken =
nOugh for to.dayp
With a bound Lucien d'Aumel
fas on his feet, aud brusquely push
ng aside the gamblers who gather
d about him with envy and admira-
ion, he darted from tue room, rush
Il down the stairs, aud moment
tier was standing on the streets.
In the distance, by the light OF a
as jet, the figure of the little one
Ould still be seen, dark spot
gainst tire background of snow,
ssiiug in the sane place.
"Thank God !" be exclaimed
Thank God, she is there |" aud be
au 10 her aud tenderly lifted her IN
Is arms. How cold she was, how
Did and stiff, but he would carry
er away; he would cake her to his
ONE; there she would soon be
arm.
all at once, as he held her in bis
rms, he saw that the eyelids were
alf Open--the eyeballs dim and
Iotionless. Tortured by horrible ,
he laid his ear against
le breast of the child; the lungs /
ere quiet, the heart silent, the lips
lue and frozen! She was dead /
cad of cold and hunger-wbile he,
. had Won a i0rtune with the J
ouis dor be hac stolen from her a :
eggarp
NJ n-..I-e.- IT.. l.s-.s -. +